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Newman sweeps Division IV swimming titles

Newman sweeps Division IV swimming titles

SULPHUR — New Orleans-based Newman swept the Division IV boys and girls state titles to start the day at the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Swimming Championships. The Dunham School, of Baton Rouge, was second.

“I’m very pleased with how we swam,” first-year Newman coach Jonathan Lindquist said. “We set a couple of records and a had a number of outstanding swims. Along with having people who won events, we also had people who finished above where they were seeded, which is always good.”

Newman scored 272 points in the girls division and 369 in the boys division, sweeping the titles for the second straight season. Dunham, the Division IV girls runner-up a year ago, had 186 points on the girls side and scored 170 points to take second in the boys division with just four swimmers.

St. Martin’s (177) was third in the girls and Cedar Creek (158) was the third-place boys team.

Episcopal scored 307 points to win the girls title ahead of St. Charles (231) and Houma’s Vandebilt Catholic (203.5). St. Charles win in the meet’s final boys event, the 400-yard freestyle relay, was the margin of victory. The Comets finished with 278 points, ahead of Vandebilt (272). Episcopal placed third with 227.

“I’m just so thrilled for the girls and proud to be part of both teams,” Episcopal coach Alex Rayner said. “They swam out of their minds. We put people who were in finals who weren’t supposed to be there.

“For the girls, we had three in the top eight of the 50 free and that was big. Really, all the events were big.”

A total of four meet records set during Thursday’s two sessions. Newman’s Patrick Riess set two boys Division IV records, winning the 100-yard freestyle in 45.84 seconds and the 100 backstroke in 50.62. Riess’ time in the 100 freestyle established a composite mark for all divisions, bettering the previous record set by Episcopal’s Philip Morrison in 2003.

Parkview Baptist’s John Miller and Notre Dame’s Erin Trahan were record-setters in Division III. Miller bettered his own record in the 500 freestyle by nearly six seconds, winning in 4:42.93. NDHS’ Trahan broke the girls 50 freestyle mark in the prelims on Wednesday and bettered that time by swimming a 24.51 on Thursday.

“It’s so exciting to be second in both divisions,” Dunham coach Rebekah Myers said. “Our girls were sixth about halfway through the meet. It was extremely close berween second and seventh. Our girls came up with soem big swims. Our boys did everything they possibily could.”

Division III

Parkview’s Miller and Danielle Miles were double winners. Miller also won the 200 freestyle (1:45.51). Miles also won the 200 (1:59.71) and the 500 (5:22.03).

Vandebilt’s Elie McRae and St. Charles’ Gage Alleman were boys double winners. Alleman swam the final leg on the 400 relay. Alleman won the 200 IM (1:54.42) and the 100 backstroke (53.66). McRae placed first in the 100 butterfly (53.69) and the 100 breaststroke (59.81).

University High’s Emily Rush was another double winner, taking first in the 100 freestyle (54.71) and the 100 backstroke in 1:00.49.

Division IV

Riess and teammate Harry Browne were the only double winners in the boys division. Browne won the 200 (1:52.31) and 500 (5:01.41) freestyles. Aleksandar Bahat (200 individual medley) was another winner for Newman.